


Learning As We Go

by orphan_account



Category: Mortal Instruments Series - Cassandra Clare
Genre: Alternate Universe - High School, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, M/M, ill add tags and characters as needed, my tagging skills are still lacking, no demons no magic no shadowhunters just plain ole high school
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2014-11-08
Updated: 2014-11-09
Packaged: 2018-02-24 15:43:41
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 10,103
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2586947
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Magnus Bane is hopelessly crushing on Alec Lightwood.<br/>Alec Lightwood is hopelessly crushing on Magnus Bane.<br/>High school is a pain in the ass as it is, but exes, parents, and closets only make things more stressful.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Of Sprained Ankles and Gym Shorts

**Author's Note:**

> Don't mind me, just casually adding this to the list of things I have plans for but will probably end up not updating regularly in the end. In advance, this is probably going to have a sequel, depending on how the story plays out.

One second Magnus was running across the field and the next he was laying on his back in the grass with a shooting pain in his ankle. He screwed his eyes closed and tried to breathe deeply. Around him the sounds of the soccer game were dying down as people came to realize that someone had fallen. He felt a hand on his shoulder and noticed the familiar smell of Ragnor's cologne.

“Hey, what happened?”

Magnus opened his eyes to see his entire gym class standing in a loose circle around them. The overseeing coach made his way to the group, coming to kneel beside Magnus as well. Magnus raised himself on his elbows and took a deep breath before replying. “I don't know what happened _exactly_ , but my ankle hurts.”

He accepted the hand that Ragnor offered him and pulled himself up, only to sag against his best friend's side with a hiss when his ankle wouldn't support his weight. The coach passed a hand over his beard with a sigh.

“Probably sprained it. We're going to have to get you to the nurse, kid.” He turned to the rest of his class. “Which one of you can carry Bane?”

Magnus inspected his classmates. None of them looked like they could carry a five pound bag of potatoes, let alone someone their weight. Except maybe...

“Lightwood. You lift, yeah?”

The crowd parted to reveal a tall, black haired kid who kept nervously tugging his gold gym shorts down his thighs. He looked up and despite the distance, Magnus could see the magnificent blue of his irises. The answer to the coach's question was obvious. The boy's biceps were clearly defined in the blue sports tee he wore, muscles which were generally hidden beneath ratty knit sweaters and hoodies. Magnus could not see why someone as fit as Alexander Lightwood hid behind layers of clothing.

“Uh, y-yes, Coach.” As if already knowing how the situation would play out the boy glanced at Magnus before taking a few steps forward.

“Do you think you can carry him to the nurse?”

“Yes, sir.”

The coach waved his hand in dismissal and the class dispersed, anxious to get back to their game. Ragnor smirked knowingly as he went with, wiggling his fingers in parting. Magnus wobbled on one foot, glaring at the back of his best friend's head

There was a moment of awkward silence before Magnus swayed a little too far to the right and couldn't regain his balance in time. A pair of strong hands grabbed him before he could fall onto the field for a second time that day, one on his shoulder and another on his hip. Magnus looked up to see a pair of blue eyes right in front of his own, holding in an uncharacteristic squeak.

“Uh, hi. I'm Alec.”

“I know.” _Shit, what the hell, Magnus? Could you sound_ anymore _creepy?_ He thought to himself. “I'm Magnus.”

“I know.”

_Okay, then._

More awkward silence followed before Alec said, “Uh, so if you could just, um, move a little this way--”

“Like this?”

“No, uh, um like, this way.”

“I just did.”

“No, you moved in the complete opposite direction.”

“This--” Magnus cut off mid-sentence at the sudden sensation of having been swept off his feet. Literally. He had grabbed onto Alec's neck in fear of falling in the process of being picked up bridal style.

“Sorry, its just, you weren't getting the point I was trying to make.”

Alec's cheeks and the tips of his ears were adorably red and his bottom lip was pulled in between his teeth. If Magnus hadn't already gone and caught a stupid crush on the boy he most certainly would have at this moment.

“Just, hold onto my neck or something, I guess.”

Magnus looked at him and raised his eyebrows.

“You're already doing that, right. Okay.”

Alec started walking back towards the school building and Magnus knew Catarina would kill him for not taking the opportunity to get to know the boy he had been “pining” over for a year now.

“So, you lift?” Magnus said it with a flirtatious smile but his heart was racing. Not only did Alec Lightwood have splendid arms, but he smelled fantastic. Like vanilla.

“Uh, yeah. I was kind of bullied into it by my brother, but I guess it sort of became a habit after that.”

Alec tried to blow his hair out of his eyes and failed badly. It was endearing to watch him try, but eventually Magnus took pity on him and unwound one of his hands from the other boy's neck to do it himself. He felt Alec stiffen for a moment before relaxing again.

“Thanks.”

The pair had reached the building by now with no complications, only to be thwarted by automatically locking doors. Alec muttered a curse under his breath and Magnus didn't know until now that one could be attracted to the way someone said “fuck”.

“Hey, walk over to that window and I'll knock on it.”

Alec complied and they waited. They couldn't have been waiting for more than ten seconds after Magnus had knocked before he did it again. And again. And again. He raised his hand to do it another time when someone cleared their throat behind them.

“Mom says if you do that again she's going to put her fist through the clay vase you've been making this week.”

Clary Fray stood with her foot in the doorway and her clay covered hands on her hips.

“Ah, but biscuit, if she had sent someone the first time I wouldn't have had to repeat myself.”

Clary rolled her eyes at Magnus' remark and raised an eyebrow, turning to his companion. “Alec, what are you doing carrying Magnus? Also your shorts are riding up.”

Magnus couldn't count how many awkward silences he had endured that afternoon, but he was sure that it was now in the double digits. He could feel Alec shift on his feet, no doubt wanting to fix his wardrobe malfunction.

After clearing his throat Alec replied, “Uh, he sprained his ankle or something in gym. Coach volunteered my services.”

“I'm surprised you didn't volunteer yourself. You know, with your habit of rescuing damsels and all.”

Alec groaned and Magnus could sense that this was something he had been teased about before. “I think you're confusing me with Jace.” He shifted Magnus in his arms as if he weighed nothing and continued, “I've got to get him to the nurse, I think his foot is turning purple. See you tonight?”

Clary smiled a smile similar to Ragnor's. “Yeah, yeah. It's your turn to bring the snacks, though. Don't forget.”

They moved past the redhead and into the hallway. The arts wing of the school was always loud and colorful, a result of different art forms coming together in one area. The door to the band room was open, the God awful sound of brass instruments being played so wrong it had to be on purpose leaking out. The walls were covered in charcoal sketches and paintings as well as hand-made crafts.

“I love this part of the school.”

Magnus hadn't been expecting the sudden information, but he was going to complain about it either. “Oh?”

“Yeah. I mean, I suck at all types of art, but its just nice to see so many different kinds of art all in one place. Even if I am pretty sure Simon is in the band room right this second encouraging the misuse of trumpets.”

Magnus laughed even if he wasn't entirely sure who Alec was talking about. “I've heard them play at football games. They _have_ to be doing that intentionally.”

When Alec smiled and eased into the conversation Magnus couldn't help but keep smiling.

“It's definitely intentional. I swear--”

The bell rang. Instantly there were doors opening and students flying out of classrooms. None of them had paid attention to the boys in gym clothes, one person even running into Magnus' injured foot. He yelped in pain and bit his lip to keep from making any other embarrassing noises.

The arms around him tightened, pulling him closer to Alec's chest. Magnus opened his eyes to see that they had moved to stand right next to the wall, the other boy clutching Magnus tightly as teenagers flooded the halls.

The warning bell sounded and soon the halls were near empty again and Alec had deemed it safe to continue on. “How's your ankle?”

“It's not really purple, is it?” Magnus asked.

Alec shook his head.

“Then I should live.”

The nurse's office was on the other side of the building, next to the front office. Magnus had never realized how big the school was until now. Or maybe Alec was just moving incredibly slow.

“Why are you walking so slow?”

“What? I'm not.”

“You are, though. It doesn't normally take a minute to walk down this hall.”

“Have you thought that, maybe, just maybe, carrying a one-hundred and sixty pound body could slow someone down?”

“That just makes it sound like you've murdered me and are now attempting to hide the body.”

“I wouldn't just carry a body around during school hours, let alone in broad daylight.”

The quip shocked a laugh from Magnus. Needless to say, he hadn't expected such a blunt and crude reply. He could see one corner of Alec's mouth quirk up.

They had reached the nurse's office by now and Alec sidled in through the open door. Magnus wasn't surprised to see Catarina sitting at the nurse's desk rather than the nurse herself. She helped out there during her free period instead of at the main office like Magnus and most other seniors, or the library like Alec.

Catarina fixed Magnus with a disapproving look and sighed heavily. “What did you do this time, Magnus?”

“I was bested on the battlefield, dear nurse. I'm afraid my wound is quite severe. As you may notice, I cannot even stand for the pain is unbearable.”

He watched as Catarina rolled her eyes and turned to Alec, one perfectly plucked eyebrow raised in question. Without hesitation Alec answered.

“We think he sprained his ankle playing soccer.”

“Go sit him on one of the beds.” She turned away to grab a first-aid kit from a closet before facing them again. “Also, did you know your gym shorts are riding up?”

Magnus watched with amusement as Alec pulled his shorts down again, embarrassed and muttering something about “always doing this” and “too small” and “I told her they had shrunk in the wash”.

He yelped as Catarina put pressure on his ankle, his gaze turning from Alec to her. She had a look on her face similar to the one Ragnor had worn earlier. Amusement, mischief, and resignation at having to listen to how beautiful Alec Lightwood was for an additional hour that night.

She turned his foot more gently this time, her touch cool and light. She pursed her lips in thought and then withdrew an Ace bandage from her kit.

“Its pretty swollen. Almost definitely sprained. This here, this is a bruise. Or make-up. Either way, it won't come off when I rub at it.” She wound the bandage tightly around his ankle, taking her time in making sure it was tight enough to stabilize his foot but loose enough so as to not cut off the circulation. She pulled a metal clip from the plastic box as well and secured the wrapping.

“Can you walk?”

Magnus looked from her to Alec and back again. “I couldn't earlier, but I could try.”

He slid off of the bed and put all of his weight on his good foot before trying to take a step forward. He winced at the twinge of pain and Alec gripped his elbow, helping him back into a sitting position on the bed. He couldn't help but notice that the touch lingered a while.

“We don't have a pair of crutches, Raphael is currently using our last.” Catarina hummed thoughtfully. “There's only one class left of the day and then after that Ragnor and I can get you home. Your car will have to stay in the lot until someone can come get it, but you're in no position to be driving so it shouldn't matter.”

She turned to talk to Alec. “Would you mind carrying him to his last class?”

Alec shook his head. “Not at all.”

Catarina nodded, “Well then, that's that. Magnus, stay in the classroom until I get there. And thank you, Alec, for helping his helpless ass.”

Alec blinked twice, as if surprised that Catarina knew his name. He nodded anyway. “No problem.”

Catarina tossed Magnus an ice pack and handed them both slips excusing them from being late. She walked back to her desk and started sifting through papers, a clear dismissal.

Alec wasted no time in picking up Magnus, clearly not ready to deal with a repeat of the awkward dance they had done earlier. He hissed when Magnus' icepack pressed against his neck.

“Please get that off of my neck.”

“I have nowhere to put it.”

“Your lap?”

“But its cold.”

“Which is precisely why I want it away from my neck.”

Magnus took the hand with the pack away from Alec's neck, letting his arm fall so it wasn't touching either of them.

“Better?”

“Yes, thank you.”

As they moved towards the door, Catarina gave Magnus a look that could be loosely interpreted as “If you don't get that boy's number, I will do it for you, and I will do it in a highly embarrassing manner”.

The two didn't get very far down the hall before they spotted Ragnor walking towards them, a backpack in his hand. When they got close enough, Magnus noticed that Ragnor was smirking again.

“Hey, guys. Magnus, I dropped your things off at your next class, but I couldn't remember what class Alec had so I was hoping you guys would still be at the nurse's.” He held out a ratty blue backpack covered in faded Sharpie.

Magnus reached out for the bag as Alec said, “Thank you, that was really kind of you. Um--” He paused, as if questioning whether or not he should keep talking. “I don't suppose you managed to grab my pants, huh?”

Ragnor winced in sympathy, obviously having noticed Alec's problem with his gym shorts. “No, sorry. I couldn't tell which locker was yours.”

“Its fine. Thank you, though. For bringing the rest of my things.”

“Not a problem. See you guys later.” He winked and mouthed “get his number” as he walked away. For all that they complained, Magnus' friends seemed to be very invested in his love life.

The walk to Magnus' last period class was far shorter than the one to the nurse's office. Alec had set Magnus down slowly. Magnus passed the backpack to its rightful owner, but not before slipping a marker out of the front pouch and scrawling his phone number across the inside of Alec's wrist.

He placed the stolen marker in Alec's hand and said, “Call me,” before opening the door to his Calculus class, leaving an open-mouthed Alec standing in the hall in his damned too-short-shorts. He passed his slip from Catarina onto the teacher's desk and hopped to his own. He opened his textbook, but knew that he couldn't pay attention to a single word on the page.

He really hoped that Alec would call.


	2. Unintentional John Green References and Potential Potential-Date Outfits

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm thinking eleven chapters should do it, followed by a (probably shorter) sequel. The POV changes follow no specific order. Depending on whether or not I decide to put off studying and homework, the next chapter should be up tomorrow or the day after. (Or 2-6 months, who knows?)

Alec didn't understand why a few numbers scribbled on the inside of his wrist made him feel both giddy and sick to his stomach. It had been two days since he had gotten Magnus' number and the marker had long since washed off, but he had memorized the numbers, written them down on several sheets of paper, and saved it to his phone for good measure. Clary had, of course, teased him relentlessly about it.

She was one of the few people who knew about his massive crush on Magnus, the others being two of his siblings and Simon Lewis. He had told Clary about what happened immediately and she had promised not to tell any of their friends about it, knowing his fear of them blowing it out of proportion or talking about it where his parents could hear.

The two of them had stayed up all night and listed the pros and cons of asking Magnus Bane out on a date, not even bothering to pay attention to the B-rated horror movie that they had rented. For every pro Clary listed, Alec added three cons, all of them being: potentially barfing on him, him noticing how Alec wasn't worth his time halfway through the date and leaving, and “What if it was just a joke? I could make such a fool of myself by _actually_ calling him!”

Being the good friend that she is, Clary had thumped him on the forehead and told him that Magnus Bane would be the luckiest guy on earth to have Alec Lightwood call him. Alec figured it was a typical best friend thing to say, but he appreciated it nonetheless.

She was the best person to talk to about just about anything. If Alec had gone to his sister she would have insisted he call right that second and take him shopping. Had he gone to his brother, Jace would have laughed his concerns off and tell him to just fucking do it already. Simon wasn't even an option because he winced and was extremely awkward anytime feelings or emotions came up in a serious conversation.

He hadn't even thought about talking to Aline about it, which was a problem since he was now staring off into space, thinking about Magnus, when he was supposed to be out for coffee with her.

He snapped out of it when a bit of croissant hit him in the nose. Aline had her arms crossed and a look on her face that told Alec that he had missed out on an entire conversation.

“The least you could do is _pretend_ to be interested in what I'm saying,” she said. She tore off another pinch of her pastry and flicked it at him. “What's got your panties in a twist?”

Alec sighed and collected the food from his lap and placed it on a napkin. “Sorry, Aline. I've just been thinking about some things recently.”

Aline didn't ask him what about, she just leaned back in her seat and waited. Alec had a hard time keeping secrets, especially from Aline. They had grown up together and she knew him far too well for him to be able to get away with anything.

He weighed whether or not to tell her. She didn't go to his school, being home schooled since she was constantly moving back and forth from Beijing. She wouldn't make as much of a fuss as Isabelle would, but she wouldn't brush it off or shy away from the conversation like Jace and Simon.

Alec sighed deeply before saying, “Imayormaynothavegottenthisguy'snumberandI'vebeenwonderingwhetherIshouldcallhimandaskhimout.”

Aline sipped her coffee before answering. “Okay, now if you could just repeat that again in a language I can understand, that would be great.”

“I may, or may not have, gotten this guy's number. And I've been wondering if I should call him.”

“So what's the problem?”

“The problem is everything! What if--”

Aline interrupted him. “That right there, is your first problem. No 'what ifs'. What ifs have never done anyone any good. Do you like this guy?”

Alec thought about that for a second. He certainly had noticed Magnus' looks. Everyone has, what with his caramel complexion, dark hair, and stunning amber eyes. He has admitted on several occasions that Magnus was very good looking. He knew bits and pieces about his personality from shared classes and what Isabelle had relayed.

He's smart and very flirtatious and according to Alec's sister “has incredible fashion sense” and “throws amazing parties”.

“I think so,” Alec started. “Or at least I think I could. If I got to know him better.”

Aline hummed in response, sipping at her coffee again. “And you asked for his number?”

“I can barely say hi to him, what makes you think I asked for his number?”

“True. So he gave it to you? That's a good start. People don't just give out their numbers to anyone. There's got to be at least physical attraction.”

“I guess, but--”

“No 'buts', Alec. No 'buts' no 'what ifs'. I think you should call him.”

Alec picked up his mug and took a drink, grimacing at the taste. He tore open a sugar packet and dumped it into his coffee before adding another. Aline wrinkled her nose in distaste.

“How would I even go about it? Like, what do you say?”

“How about, 'Hi, this is Alec. You gave me your number on Friday? Yeah, so I was wondering if you'd like to go out for coffee sometime.'?” Aline chewed on a piece of croissant before adding. “But if you do go out for coffee, I suggest not revealing your abhorrent love of sugar. Is there even any coffee in there?”

Alec rolled his eyes and spun his coffee cup on the table top. “That seems so awkward.”

Aline snorted. “You're an awkward guy, Alec. Yet, also a straightforward one. This way, you can get your point across quickly.”

With a shrug Alec slouched into his seat. He really wanted to call, but if he was being honest with himself, he wouldn't and pray that there was no confrontation about it. He heard Aline sigh and looked up at her.

After realizing she had his attention again she said, “I think you should give it a try, Alec. It might do some good to get you out of your comfort zone.”

 _What's the point of having a comfort zone if you aren't going to be in it,_ Alec thought.

–-

“It's been _days._ It never takes anyone days to call me.”

Magnus was sprawled ungracefully on top of his bed, watching as clothes flew out of his closet door with only mild irritation. He was not looking forward to cleaning that up.

“Magnus,” said the person in his closet. “Don't worry about it. Alec has to weight the pros and cons of every little thing he does. He spends an hour deciding what to eat for breakfast. Give him time or you'll startle him.”

The clack of stilettos on hardwood could be heard as Isabelle Lightwood emerged from the closet holding up a silk purple button up. “Now, what about this?”

The boy huffed and turned on his side to face her. “I don't see the point in this, Iz. Even if he does call, why would I pick out an outfit for a date that I know nothing about? What if, and this is assuming he calls, what if we go to the zoo? I'm not wearing that just to be around smelly animals.”

Isabelle rolled her eyes and tossed her hair over her shoulder as she re-entered the closet. “First of all, he'll call. I have zero doubts about that. Secondly,” she popped back out with several hangers lining her forearms. “The zoo? Really? Even he wouldn't go to the zoo on a date.”

She dumped the clothes onto the bed by Magnus' head and started sorting them into piles. “And this,” she said gesturing to the room which was now covered in just about every article of clothing Magnus owned. “This is to keep you from moping. Now get up and do something before I'm tempted to strangle you.”

Groaning, Magnus heaved himself into a sitting position. He turned to face Isabelle and the piles of clothing. Befriending his crush's sister may have simultaneously the best and worst decision he had ever made. On one hand, Isabelle was a lot of fun and she had become his closest friend after Catarina, Ragnor, and Tessa. On the other hand, it was clear that she knew more about her brother than he did, which means she was probably right and he had no reason to get disgustingly mope.

He wouldn't admit it to anyone, but Magnus had checked his phone at least twice every hour for the entire weekend. After five minutes of sorting through potential potential-date outfits he heard his phone ring from its spot on the dresser.

Magnus would also never admit to flailing around and getting his foot caught in his bedsheets.

He crossed the large room in a few quick strides and picked up his phone. Isabelle had offered to give him Alec's number herself, but Magnus had refused. Which is why he was nearly squealing with delight at the sight of an unknown number.

“If this is a wrong number or a bill collector I am going to scream,” he said before answering. “Hello?”

On the other line he could hear what seemed to be the noises of a coffee shop and a familiar voice saying, _“Aline, quit giving me that look. I--”_

Alec's voice cut off and Magnus was about to check that the call was still connected when he heard, _“Hello?”_

Magnus could feel his face breaking out into a grin as he repeated his greeting.

“ _Uh, hi. This is Alec, you gave me your number on Friday?”_

There was a girl's laugh in the background and Magnus couldn't tell if it was the Aline person that Alec had been talking to or not.

“I remember.” Magnus turned to Isabelle who had was wearing I-told-you-so look. He stuck his tongue out at her.

“You sure know how to keep a guy waiting. I didn't think you would call.”

“ _Uh, sorry. About that.”_ He quit speaking for a second and there was a dull thud, like something smacking against wood. _“Would you—I was wondering if you'd like to go out. For coffee. Some time. With me.”_

Magnus had to keep himself from laughing. Isabelle had mentioned that Alec didn't take well to people finding his honest attempts at socializing funny.

“I'd love to.”

There was another moment of silence before Alec asked, _“I'm sorry, come again?”_

“I said I'd love to go out. For coffee. Some time. With you.”

Alec laughed and Magnus' stomach did flips.

“ _Okay. Um,”_ Magnus could practically hear him biting his lip. _“How does Tuesday at six sound? At Taki's?”_

“Six on Tuesday at Taki's sounds perfect.”

“ _Okay.”_

“Okay.”

“ _Okay.”_ There was a sound like a smack on the other line and Magnus heard Alec's friend clearly this time.

“ _Oh my god. Stop. Put down the phone. End the call. As your friend I cannot sit by and let you wander into The Fault in Our Stars territory. No more 'okays'. Just. No.”_

Magnus laughed this time. “Tuesday, six, at Taki's. See you then, Alec.”

“ _Ok—I mean,right. See you then. I mean, there's two entire school days where we'll probably see each other. So its not like we_ won't _see each other before then, but--”_ There was another smacking sound and Alec groaned. _“Oh God. Um, forget I said any of that. Just, see you later?”_

Magnus was sure that his face would stick in this ridiculous grin for the rest of his life.

“See you later, Alec.”

There was a second where it seemed like Alec wanted to say something more and Magnus waited until Alec hung up.

Isabelle coughed behind him and asked, “So, which one of us was right?”

Magnus flopped onto his bed, messing up the piles that they had been sorting. He ignored a couple of wire hangers digging into his stomach and thighs.

“You. You were right.” He tried to glare but when he couldn't figure out how to stop smiling he gave up.

“How awkward was it?”

“Very, but in the best way. He kept rambling and it was just, so very cute.”

Isabelle patted him on the shoulder before standing. “Now we really _do_ need to pick out a date outfit.”

–-

“God, Alec. That was the most painful thing I've had to watch. And I watched Maryse give you and Jace The Talk.”

Alec had faceplanted into the table earlier in the conversation and hadn't resurfaced. What was he thinking, saying 'okay' fifty million times like he was some John Green fanatic? He wasn't thinking, which was the problem. After the basic “do you want to go out” was out of his mouth, his brain had shut down and hadn't rebooted for the entirety of the conversation.

He felt Aline pat his head and sighed, letting her run her fingers through his hair.

“At least you got it out of the way. He said yes, so now you have to focus on the date.”

Alec groaned. He didn't _want_ to focus on the date. He didn't even want to go on the date at this point. Well, he _did,_ in theory. He just didn't want to have to look Magnus in the eyes as he made himself out to be a complete doofus.

Aline gave his head a final pat and stood up. “C'mon kiddo.”

Turning his head and opening one eye Alec asked, “Where are we going?” He could tell what Aline was about to say before she said it. He could feel his energy sapping away just from thinking the word.

“Shopping.”

–-

Shopping with Aline wasn't nearly as hectic as shopping with Izzy, but it was still shopping. It was still standing around awkwardly while someone else picked out his clothes. It was still being shoved into dressing rooms and standing in line to pay while trying to avoid meeting the cashier's eyes.

They had been to two different stores already, having bought two shirts from each. Now they were on the search for jeans because all of Alec's either had holes in the knees, pockets, or both.

The second they walked into the third store Aline saw something and bolted straight to it. Alec felt his gut twist as he realized she was standing in front of a rack of skinny jeans. Not once in his young life had Alec put a pair on, and he wanted to keep it that way. They looked good on some people (namely Magnus) but Alec never thought he could pull them off, despite his sister insisting that he could.

When he reached her Aline had already grabbed two pair and shoved them into his arms. “Go change.”

Alec sighed, acknowledging defeat. He walked to the fitting rooms and was handed a plastic card with the number two on it by a bored looking woman with bubblegum pink hair. He locked the door behind him and glared at himself in the body length mirror on the wall.

The first pair were black for the most part, except where they faded into gray around the center of his thigh down to his knee. They fit right, he supposed. Beyond that he didn't have any opinions. It didn't look wrong, but it also didn't look right.

He walked out to show Aline, already knowing that she'd be standing in front of the door.

Aline let out a low whistle. “If only we were straight,” she joked.

Alec walked back into the changing room to shimmy out of the jeans. He had to sit on the little bench to get them off completely.

The next pair was a rich blue color that Alec liked. Despite the color, they still had the same effect on Alec. It's not that he didn't like the jeans, its just that he didn't like them _on him._

He opened the door for Aline to see.

“Wow, Lightwood. You look good. Turn around.”

“Its not like I'm wearing a dress or skirt or—what are you doing?”

Aline had stuffed her hand into one of his back pockets.

“What? Is this not turning you on?”

Alec flushed beet red. “We both know its not. What are you doing?”

Aline withdrew her hand and shrugged. “With all the baggy jeans you wear, its easy to forget that you have a butt.”

“I—what--of course I—what?”

Aline laughed and clasped his shoulder. “Wear these on your date, they make your butt look great.”

“That doesn't mean much, coming from a lesbian.”

“I can acknowledge a great butt! Butts are genderless. Everyone has a butt.”

“Okay, hush.” Alec could feel the tips of his ears redden and he entered the fitting room one last time. Before he took off his pants he made sure the door as shut and locked.

He was so far out of his comfort zone, but something was telling him that Magnus might be worth awkward phone calls and having to occasionally wear skinny jeans.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> (The first chapter was based off of a tumblr prompt.)
> 
> I'm always accepting constructive criticism and feedback!


	3. First Dates and Some Mild Panicking

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is brought to you by Complete Procrastination Of Homework and Wondering How Dates Even Work. The next chapter might not be up until after I procure and read a copy of The Bane Chronicles. (Around the 11th or 12th)
> 
> You can find me on tumblr (alexander-lightworm) if any of you want to come and yell at me to stop procrastinating (or chat and send me prompts, I'm a lonely person).

It was Tuesday. Tuesday at five in the afternoon. Alec had spent all day trying not to let his nerves get the best of him, only to come home and lock himself in his bedroom. There had been knocking at his door, but he didn't get up. It was just Izzy asking him what he locked his door for. He was suddenly glad that he hadn't told her about the date. If he had he would be dragged from the room and she would have carried him to Taki's if she had to.

There was another, softer knock on his door and he groaned. Soft knocking meant Clary. Clary meant that he was either going to go on his date or get lectured about it for an hour if he didn't. He crossed the room and unlocked the door before crawling back onto his bed.

Clary entered and before she could speak Alec said, “I'm not going.”

The redhead sat at the foot of his bed and faced him. She crossed her arms. “And why not?”

“I just—I just can't. What if it goes badly? I have _classes with him_. I'd have to look at him every day. Or—or what if it goes well? What if it goes well and he wants to meet my parents? Or what if he wants to like, hold my hand in school? Mom and Dad have friends that work there.”

Alec stood up and paced. Clary knew that he was absolutely terrified of his parents finding out about his sexuality. Ever since he realized that he like boys in the seventh grade he had been scared about his parents' reactions.

He had thought about telling them several time over the years, but the time never seemed right. Or maybe he didn't want it to seem right. Until three years ago he had been in painful denial himself. It wasn't until Aline had come out to him that he had given up and accepted his fate. When he had someone to confide in who  _knew_ what he was going through, he tried to ease up on himself. To stop blaming himself for being the way that he was and accept that it was never going to change.

Clary's voice was soft when she said, “I know its scary, Alec, but you can't keep running. Some day you're going to have to tell your parents.”

“That doesn't mean I want to. I mean, I do, but I don't. I want to tell them and have them be okay with it, not tell them and then have them say I'm confused or broken.”

Now Alec had stopped pacing. He was standing in front of the the only window in the room, his arms crossed over his middle. He chewed on his lip, tasting the metallic flavor from when he tore the skin away earlier that day.

“How about this, how about we get you dressed, and if by the time you're supposed to leave you still feel like you can't do it you stay home.” Alec knew what look was on Clary's face without having to see it. Every time he talked about being scared she adopted this supportive, sympathetic look. He used to be comforted by it, but now it just irritated him.

“Fine.”

He walked to his dresser and pulled out the pair of jeans that Aline had made him buy. Then he moved to the closet and pulled four hangers down, one for each of the shirts that he had bought on Sunday.

“I don't know which one Aline liked best so you should pick.”

Clothes was an easier topic to talk about. Neither one of them was particularly fashion crazy, opting for practical and comfortable clothes more often than not. Clary had a more colorful wardrobe, but nothing as extravagant or flashy as some of Isabelle's things.

Clary held up the shirt that Alec hated the most and said, “I really think this one would look nice, but I bet there's no chance you'll wear it.”

It was a black, short-sleeved button up covered in tiny pink roses. Aline had used her puppy dog eyes to convince him to buy it and even then he was hoping that she would take it home with her.

“That seems a bit...much.”

Clary looked over the garment again. “Yeah, but I still think it would look good. You could show off your Captain America biceps.” She flexed mockingly and laughed, putting the shirt back down.

“This one?”

This shirt was light grey and Alec knew it was made of some really soft material. He liked the shirt but his main concern was: “What if I sweat a lot? It would be kind of obvious.”

Clary smiled and handed him the shirt. “Put it on, I'll be right back.”

He took the opportunity to change his jeans as well. He wasn't particularly shy about changing in front of Clary, but he didn't want her to see him jump to be able to get the jeans up over his thighs. He had barely finished pulling the shirt over his head when Clary opened the door.

“Okay so I know neither flannel nor plaid is really your thing but--” Clary stopped when she caught sight of Alec. Her jaw hung open and a red and black checkered shirt hung from her fingertips.

“Wow.”

Alec looked over his body self-consciously. “Is it that bad?”

Clary looked at him like he had just eaten a live toad. “Bad? Not bad. Very not bad. Very good. You look great.”

Before Alec noticed what she was doing Clary had snapped a picture of him. She handed the shirt in her hand over to him and said, “Put that on. I'm sending these to Aline, I need a second opinion.”

He shrugged the shirt on and rolled the sleeves up to his elbows when Clary told him to. She took another picture and pocketed her phone after tapping out a message to Aline.

Alec suspected that the shirt was Simon's, seeing as how it fit him pretty well and both Jace and Isabelle would shriek in horror at the though of wearing plaid and flannel together.

Clary pulled her phone back out at the same time that Alec's buzzed on the bedside table.

“Aline says to wear the shirt. It makes you look like a frumpy hipster. She also said that you should wear your glasses.”

“Yeah, not happening.” Alec picked up his phone to see that he had three unread messages.

_[Aline 17:37] Good luck! You look cute. Take some deep breaths and relax._

_[Aline 17:38] And have fun :)_

_[Magnus 17:40] Can't wait! See you there XXX ;)_

Any thought of ditching escaped Alec's mind. He turned to Clary and said, “Okay. I'll go, but if I need a way out I'll text you.”

Clary smiled. “Go get him. I'll be here in case you need a knight in shining armor.”

–-

“I need help, Tessa, not mockery.”

Magnus was sitting on the sink in his small bathroom, an eyeshadow palette balanced on his lap. Tessa took a seat on the edge of the bathtub and covered her mouth with a hand.

“Sorry, but I've never seen your feathers get quite so ruffled over just one boy.”

He decided to go with a subtle look. A little bit of eyeliner, maybe some shimmery eyeshadow. He figured that he shouldn't go too overboard, lest he drive Alec into Narnia in the first five minutes of the date. “My feathers are not ruffled, Tessa. You don't know what you're talking about.”

“No? That's funny, because the look on your face when I walked through your door was the same one Will was wearing when he asked Jem and I to move in with him after graduation. And I believe _his_ feathers were ruffled quite a bit.”

Magnus snorted unattractively. “I am far more collected than William.”

“True,” Tessa replied. “Have you decided what you are going to wear?”

Magnus cursed as he almost jabbed the stick of eyeliner into his eye. “No. Isabelle helped me set some things aside but I still haven't picked anything.”

He saw Tessa get up and leave the bathroom from the corner of his eye, probably going to sort through his closet. He wouldn't admit it, but Tessa was right. Magnus was nervous. This was his first time going on an _actual_ date ever since Camille. He didn't want to think about that, but somehow it kept popping up.

There was a small voice in his head that asked if he was just going on a date with Alec to get his mind off of the blonde French exchange student. _No,_ he told himself. _That was Woolsey, Jason, and Mercedes._ Magnus hadn't pined over those three, no. He had went up to them, explained that all he wanted was sex, and they had agreed. He hadn't dated any of the three of them, just called them up when he felt like it and they left before morning.

He hadn't seen Camille since she went back to France, but here she was nonetheless. Coming into his thoughts, unneeded and and unwanted.

On one hand he wanted to jump straight into a relationship with Alec. He wanted to let go of the part of him that hoped Camille would come and take her last words to him back and let himself be the hopeless romantic idiot he was.

On the other hand, he wanted to stay 2000 feet away from Alec. He didn't want to give Alec the chance to do what Camille had done. He didn't want to go into this relationship with his past coming to confront him at the most inopportune moments.

Tessa had come back, an outfit hung gently over her arm. It was clear from the look on her face that she had guessed where Magnus' thoughts were. “Don't over think it, Magnus.”

She held out the clothes she had picked as he slid off of the bathroom counter. Magnus gave her a smile and looked over the clothes. The shirt was a dark blue button up with teal buttons and stitching, the one that Isabelle had put in a “maybe” pile on Sunday. The pants were either dark purple or black, Magnus couldn't tell in the meager bathroom lighting.

“Nice pick.”

He set the hangers on the towel rack and started stripping. Tessa had turned her back to give him some sense of privacy, but stayed in the bathroom.

“Jem says to have fun and good luck. Will says to use protection,” Tessa said.

Magnus huffed, buttoning his jeans and moving on to his shirt. “Tell James I said thank you and tell Will that I always do.” He smoothed the slight wrinkles out of his shirt with his hands. “Should I tuck it in or not?”

Tessa turned back to him and wrinkled her nose. “No. It fits well enough as is.”

Magnus picked up his phone: _(4) Unread Messages._

_[Catarina 5:40PM] Have fun and don't scare him off._

_[Ragnor 5:43PM] Don't get him pregnant. I expect you back before eleven, young man._

_[Alec 5:46PM] See you there :)_

_[Iz 5:50PM] Alec just left the house, please don't jump his bones when you see him. Don't break my brother or you're going to be in for a world of pain. Have fun! XO_

Magnus rolled his eyes at his friend's texts, not bothering to reply to any of them. It was now 5:53 and he had to leave now if he wanted to get there on time. He stuck his phone in his pocket and applied a layer of lip balm before kissing Tessa's cheek.

“I'm leaving now. Thank you and don't eat all of my Chinese leftovers. Any last pearls of wisdom?”

Tessa patted him on the cheek. “Don't think too hard. Be nice. Lay off the innuendos, and don't let Camille get into your head.”

–-

Before he had left, Clary had insisted on putting his hair up. Alec had to stop himself from reaching up and touching the little bun that she had twisted his hair into. It was 5:58 and Magnus hadn't shown up, but it was ridiculous to assume that he would be early.

He was leaning against the brick wall of Taki's and scrolling through nothing on his phone when he heard, “Oh wow. You clean up nice.”

Alec looked up to see Magnus standing next to him with his hands in his pockets. His hair was spiked up in its usual do and he was wearing a blue shirt with the top buttons undone.

“Thank my friends. If it was left up to me I'd be wearing a sweater.”

Magnus laughed. "I'm sure you would look just as good in the sweater." He opened the door, gesturing for Alec to go in first. Alec led the way to a small booth that he and his friends usually sat in. Before either of them could say anything more, a perky waitress with a lip ring was handing them menus.

“Evenin' Alec. What can I get you boys tonight?”

“Good evening, Belle. The usual for me and,” he turned to look at Magnus. “Do you want anything? On me, of course.”

The corners of Magnus' mouth twitched upwards. “A cinnamon latte and a plate of waffles, please.”

Belle hummed appreciatively and collected their menus. “I like this one, Alec. So much better than that Sebastian fellow. _He_ never said please.”

Alec laughed awkwardly and rubbed the back of his neck. “Well, this situation is kind of different.”

“Oh?”

“Well, yeah. I never went on a date with Sebastian.”

Belle made a small “o” with her mouth before grinning and winking. “Good call, he was a rotten egg.” She leaned close so Magnus couldn't hear and whispered, “Don't worry about anyone here tellin' your grumpy old papa. He doesn't like us much and the feeling is mutual.”

Alec grinned as she walked away, knowing that the one place his parents' influence didn't reach was safe. Anywhere else he could risk running into one of the Lightwood's many acquaintances and they would no doubt turn right around and relay everything they saw to Robert and Maryse.

“So, _'the usual'_. I never thought I'd see that outside of the movies.” Magnus' tone was teasing.

Alec shrugged. “I come here pretty often and if Belle is taking my order its just simpler to say the usual.”

“You know,” Magnus said, leaning forward. “Your hair looks really good like that.”

Alec couldn't stop his hand from reaching up to touch his hair. He had never really paid much attention it. Sure, he washed it and his mother cut it, but beyond that he never really did anything to it. If he was being honest with himself, he rarely even brushed it.

“Uh, thanks. You look great too, but that's not really saying much since you always look good.”

There were about two seconds before Alec had registered what he had said. He smacked a hand to his forehead. “That didn't come out as smooth as I had planned.”

His hand was pulled from his forehead and Magnus held it over the table. “Maybe not, but I liked it just the same.”

Alec bit his lip on a smile, trying not to look like a complete goober by grinning like a madman.

“So you frequent Taki's, can carry people with little to no effort, and are probably one of the only people in the world who can pull off wearing flannel and plaid at the same time. I'm a little intrigued. Tell me about yourself.”

That last line was something straight out of a cheesy rom-com and Alec felt that he would have twirled his hair hand Magnus not been holding his hand.

“What do you want to know?”

“What's your favorite color?”

“Green. Yours?”

“Blue. Favorite animal?”

“Dog. Yours?”

“You're a dog person? I like cats. Little cats, big cats, cats that would sooner eat your face off than sleep on your pillow.”

“I wouldn't call myself a dog person, really. I've never had a dog, my father's allergic.”

The conversation continued like that for a while. Simple questions were asked and answered. Occasionally there was debate about something being better than something else. Small questions that didn't really mean anything. Nothing too personal. Alec found that it wasn't so hard to talk about himself when Magnus was answering the same questions that he was.

“So, how's your ankle?”

“Better than it was on Friday. I don't need strong and handsome men to carry me around anymore, which I'm a little bummed about.” Magnus winked and Alec could feel his cheeks flush.

Belle came by and dropped the food off with a smile and a nudge to Alec's ribs. She said, “If you boys need anything just holler.”

After the coffee and food had arrived the conversation slowed down. Alec grabbed a handful of sugar packets and dumped them into his coffee. “I don't know, I just like Star Trek better. Don't tell Simon and Clary I said that, though, or else I'm going to have to sit through an hour long lecture on why Star Wars trumps Trek in every way.” He added another packet to the four he had put in already and took a sip before continuing. “They have PowerPoints and its intimidating.”

Alec looked up from his food when Magnus hadn't answered. He saw that Magnus was looking between him and his cup of coffee with a look of surprise. “I have never seen a human being add that much sugar to their coffee in my entire life.”

Alec ducked his head in embarrassment. “They just make it really strong here.”

Magnus hummed, obviously not believing Alec's excuse. They continued talking about the eternal Star Wars versus Star Trek debate until Alec's phone buzzed in his back pocket. He sighed internally and drew it out, apologizing to Magnus, who waved it off.

_[Clary 18:53] You know its considered rude to text while you're on a date, right? Even if he is in the bathroom. Anyways, say something about having to make sure Max gets fed, does his homework, and takes a shower or something._

Alec felt bad for ditching early, but the date had been going so well and he didn't want to be given the time to fuck it up royally.

“Sorry, I have to go. Have to make sure my little brother does his homework and takes a shower.”

Magnus stood up when Alec did. Alec was relieved to see that he didn't look angry or irritated. Alec dished out a few bills that he knew would cover the price of their meals and a generous tip for Belle.

“Not only are you extremely smart and good-looking, but a family man too? I think I might swoon.”

Alec laughed and led the way to the door. He opened it and held it open for Magnus, who drew a hand to his forehead and mimicked fainting. When the two were outside Alec suddenly had no idea what to say. Magnus, however, seemed to have that part covered.

“I had a good time.”

“Yeah, me too.”

They were facing each other, standing close enough that Alec could smell Magnus' shampoo. It was something musky, like sandalwood. Magnus stepped closer and Alec could figure out what was going to happen next. Magnus' hand rested lightly on his cheek and his lips pressed softly against Alec's. He pulled away after a moment. “We should do this again sometime.”

Magnus turned away, but before he could move very far Alec had grabbed onto his wrist, pulling him back. He took hold of Magnus' shoulders and kissed him again in the same soft manner. His heart was jack-hammering in his chest, suddenly aware of their surroundings. No one really paid any attention to the teenagers, but Alec pulled away before someone could say something nasty and ruin the moment.

“I'm up for it if you are.” With that he walked away, sticking his hands in his pockets and hoping that his exit looked cooler than it felt.

–-

Magnus slammed his front door. “Tessa? Tessa, I need help. Tessa, Tessa, Tessa, I am so screwed.”

Tessa looked up from her book. “What did you do?”

“Nothing! It wasn't me, it was him! He was just—so perfect. The date went perfectly, I mean, there was a little awkwardness here and there but other than that it was just--” He cut off. “I'm not rambling, am I?”

Tessa grinned and marked her page, setting the book aside. “You are. Come sit, tell me what happened?”

“Well,” Magnus said as he moved to sit on his couch beside Tessa. “When I got there he was leaning against the wall and I almost didn't think it was him because he wasn't wearing his usual clothes. No. He was wearing these skinny jeans that made his ass and thighs look amazing. And he was wearing one of those flannel plaid button ups--” Tessa wrinkled her nose. “I know! But it looked so good on him and the sleeves were rolled up. Tessa, he has the arms of a god. And his hair. You know what he did? He put it up in a cute little bun.”

There was a moment before Tessa spoke. “And the actual date?”

“He's a dog person and likes the color green. He prefers Star Trek and takes care of his little brother. Oh, but his coffee is like, ninety-five percent sugar. And I kissed him before he had to leave, but then he did the last thing I expected him to do. _He_ kissed _me._ Like, pulled me back when I was about to walk away and kissed me.”

Tessa whistled. “Yeah, you sound pretty screwed.”

Magnus put his head in Tessa's lap and made her pet his hair. “He's so pretty, it's not fair.

–-

Tessa listened to Magnus go on and on about Alec Lightwood all night. He seemed pretty happy, which made Tessa happy. After Camille he had seemed pretty heartbroken. It was easy to tell that he had fallen in love with her while she had only used him to pass the time.

She hadn't met Camille very many times since she and Magnus hadn't been quite as close back then. From what she had seen, Camille was beautiful and easy to get caught up in. For a while, she herself had thought that Camille had been just as in love with Magnus as he had been with her.

Tessa and Magnus had bonded over both of their broken hearts, his breakup with Camille coinciding with her fight with Will. She had helped Magnus stitch himself back together and Magnus had helped her understand the way Will's mind worked. Eventually, they had both sprung back up. She and Will had reconciled and after adding Jem into the relationship, they all had been happier than ever. After sleeping around for a couple of months Magnus had decided that Alec was the best thing to walk the earth.

Tessa had been wary when Magnus first came to her about Alec. He had just started getting over Camille and she didn't want him rushing into something only to come out even worse than when he had gone in. Magnus had the same thought, apparently, because he hadn't done anything to get closer to Alec until a little under a week ago.

Alec didn't seem like someone who would intentionally hurt anyone and that gave Tessa a little faith.

Despite how happy Magnus had seemed when he walked in, Tessa couldn't help but feel that the issue of Camille wasn't truly behind them.

–-

Alec had walked home in a bit of a hurry, anxious to get there before his parents. They were usually home anywhere from seven to nine so he figured he didn't have to worry too much, but he walked fast anyway.

He opened the front door and was glad to see that the living room was empty. He walked into the kitchen to find Clary and Max perched on a couple of stools at the island, Max's homework spread out between them.

“Hey, Alec. I got a perfect score on last week's spelling test.”

Alec ruffled Max's hair affectionately. “Good job. You use the trick I taught you?” He opened the refrigerator and grabbed a bottle of water.

“Yup.” Max scribbled something on his paper before looking up. “Why are you wearing Simon's shirt?”

“Uh, I just needed to borrow it for a bit.”

“Are you dating Simon? I know that sometimes people who are dating share their clothes.”

Alec choked on his water and Clary giggled furiously into her hand. Alec wiped the water and spit from his face before answering.

“No, Max. I'm not dating Simon. Friends borrow clothes too. Like how Clary and Izzy share clothes.” Alec grabbed a paper towel and mopped up the mess he had made on the floor.

“Okay.”

Just like that Max went back to his homework. Alec sighed and asked, “Can I borrow Clary for a minute?”

“Sure, I'm almost done anyway.”

Without looking to make sure Clary was following, Alec walked to his bedroom. He left the door open and Clary closed it behind her.

“How did it go?” she asked in a singsong voice.

Alec shrugged off Simon's shirt off and flung it over the chair at his desk. “Surprisingly well, I think.”

“What happened?”

Next were the shoes. Alec sat on his bed as he unlaced them and tossed them into a corner.

“We had coffee. Some waffles and croissants. Oh,” he said as he pulled his shirt off carefully. Reaching for the black sweater he had discarded earlier. “And I kissed him.”

Clary moved across the room to sit on the bed. She sat cross-legged with a grin on her face. “And?”

“And that's it. I mean, he kissed me first. We ate and drank coffee, I found out that he's a cat person and that his favorite book is Pride and Prejudice. There was some footsie going on under the table, but that might have been accidental.”

He opted to keep his pants on, not wanting to embarrass himself by struggling to undress. Clary wiggled her eyebrows when he looked at her. He rolled his eyes and pulled his phone from his back pocket.

_(5) Unread Messages_

_[Izzy 18:26] Idk where you just ran off to, but we're out of milk_

 

_[Izzy 18:29] And bread_

 

_[Jace 18:46] I'm not going to be home until late. Have to kick Lewis and Kyle's asses in CoD and work on a project or something._

 

_[Aline 18:59] Clary told me you used the back up plan. Why? Was it bad?_

_[Me 19:10] No, it was actually pretty good. I just didn't want to mess things up._

_[Me 19:10] I kissed him._

 

_[Mom 19:01] Your father and I are stuck in a business meeting. I don't know how long we'll be. You should go ahead and order pizza and make sure Max does his homework._

_[Me 19:11] Alright. Max is finishing up his homework now. See you when you get home._

 

Before he could put his phone away another two texts came in.

_[Aline 19:12] Atta boy! I've got some work to do, but I'll come over tomorrow. I want details._

 

_[Magnus 19:13] I really did have a nice time tonight._

Alec smiled and typed out his replies. When he put his phone away Clary was looking at him expectantly.

“I want to hear about everything.”

Alec sighed and scooted further onto the bed. “Well, first Belle came by and had her usual chat.”

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I am always accepting constructive criticism and feedback!

**Author's Note:**

> I'm always accepting constructive criticism and feedback!


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